At tracks measuring 1.25 miles in length or larger, qualifying for the Coors Light Pole Award will consist of three rounds, the first qualifying elimination round will be 25 minutes in duration and includes all cars/trucks. The 24 fastest qualifiers will advance to the second round, with those who fail to advance earning spots on the main event starting grid based on their qualifying times, in descending order.
The second qualifying elimination round will be 10 minutes in duration and the 12 cars/trucks that post the fastest single lap time will advance to the third and final round. Cars/trucks that fail to advance will earn positions 13 through 24 on the main event starting grid, in descending order.
The third and final qualifying round will be five minutes in duration and the fastest single lap time will determine positions one through 12, in descending order. There will be a five-minute break between each qualifying round.
At tracks measuring less than 1.25 miles, qualifying for the Coors Light Pole Awardwill consist of two rounds.
The first elimination round will be 30 minutes in duration and include all cars/trucks. The 12 fastest qualifiers will advance to the second and final round, with those who fail to advance earning spots on the main event starting grid based on their qualifying times, in descending order.
The second and final qualifying round will be 10 minutes in duration and the fastest single lap time posted will determine positions one through 12 on the main event starting grid, in descending order.
The new qualifying format does not apply to the Daytona 500, which will preserve its traditional qualifying format. Additionally, it does not apply to non-points NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events or the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Eldora Speedway.
"We believe the timing is right for a new qualifying format across our three national series,” said Robin Pemberton, vice president for competition and racing development. “This style of group qualifying has all the makings of being highly competitive and more engaging to our fans in the stands and those watching on television and online. For the drivers and teams, we believe this new qualifying will fuel even greater competition leading into the events. Additionally, it provides our tracks, broadcasters and other key partners with a greater opportunity to develop more entertaining content for our race weekends.”
